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I would like to do some composition/arrangement work in the studio for a song/demo that's been recorded/arranged/mixed in Pyramix. The thing is, I would like to be able to sync Ableton Live on a friend's computer through WLAN or LAN so that we can develop drum patterns, synth overdubs, etc... in a clean project with no inherent CPU load, with the option of also editing individual parts of the song on Pyramix (mute drum tracks, re-record guitar, splice vocals, Punch-in Keys from Ableton Live...).

I have been trying to set-up some way of syncing my two computers (Pyramix Masscore v9 and MacBook Pro Late 2013 running 10.9.5 Mavericks) to test this, but have been running into some issues. I currently do not have a DB15 breakout cable, so I am looking for an interim 'WLAN' solution for the time being. I don't really care what protocol, as long as it is reasonably robust. I have configured Network MIDI on my Mac and rtpMIDI on Pyramix, have both connections recognized on each computer. Not really sure how to proceed from here in order to make Pyramix a slave (my primary choice), but would certainly settle for Pyramix as master with Ableton Live as the slave.

Any suggestions? If anyone has synced another DAW with Pyramix before and can explain you proceeded or direct me to some literature, I would be much obliged. Pyramix documentation is rather succinct when it comes to this matter as far as I have read.

Syncing Pyramix with an external app can be done in multiple ways, but each has it's caveats:

- RTPMidi: with a rtpmidi sync (network midi) transport will work once configured properly, but the main problem is the sync is not at the sample level but the frame level and this is not tight enough for example for overdubs/punches.

- ReWire: Requires the other software to be on the same computer; ReWire works great and is sample accurate. Unfortunately in the case of Ableton Live the problem is that when Live is in ReWire mode it deactivates it's VST layer (it considers the host should be doing it), so if we want that VST/VSTi layer in Live it's not a solution.

- TC Chase: So knowing both problems above, the best way I found is the old school way, a Timecode file in one of Live's strips sent to the TC In of a Pyramix system that chases that timecode. This way Live keeps all it's VSTi functionalities, and the sync is sample accurate. Only issue is the few seconds chase/sync time that is not as tight as with for example ReWire transport. I have a 4 hours TC file available if you want to try this.

Not yet, I have been just working entirely separately (Ableton for composition, arrangement, creative fx.... and Pyramix for Recording, Editing, Mixing...)But I would like to try Nick's way with LTC! Speaking of...

Nicolas Cavin wrote:I have a 4 hours TC file available if you want to try this.

Please send! Can you do via WeTransfer or Dropbox? I'll PM you my e-mail.

I've seen several free TC generators online, will these also produce sample accurate sync?

When putting the file in Ableton Live: put it in timeline view, make sure warp/loop is not active on the clip, align the beginning of the file with beginning of the Live timeline, and do a zoom at the very beginning of the file as live seems to put a sort of auto fadein that you want to remove. Once this is setup, then it's only a matter of getting that TC audio from a Live output (through MT ASIO Bridge) to the LTC IN connector of a Hapi/Horus, then chase on the Pyramix transport and it should chase/lock. And you should also setup Pyramix's grid to the same bpm as Live. Let me know if you have questions.

I have a Masscore Pyramix and would like to sync to another PC running Cubase. All latest versions, utilising ANEMAN and a Hapi. I have placed the timecode file you provided on the Cubase timeline and then routed this to a Ravenna ASIO output. I can connect this to a Masscore input (and bring it up in the Pyramix mixer) but not to a LTC input in ANEMAN. Is this why it is necessary to use the MT ASIO bridge? Or am I missing something? It feels like the Ravenna ASIO should work!